Mail-bag catcher.



No. 678,278. Patented luly` 9, |901.

E. POTTER.

HAIL BAG GATGHER.

:(Applicaton 51nd Feb. 26, 1901.) (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet I.

No. 678,278. Patented luly 9, |901.

' E. POTTER. f

MAIL BAG CATCHER.

(Application led Feb. 28, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2,

(No Model.)

me Naam reveals co.. mom-uma.. wAsnmoou. o. c.

UNITED STAT/Es' PATENT` OFFICE.

EDSON, POTTER, OF GREENSBRG, INDIANA.

MAIL-BAG QATCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters :Patent Ne.' 678,278, dated July9; 1901. Applicatie; fuea February 26,1991. "serai No. n.905. (No man.)j

T0 all whoml t may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDSON POTTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Greensburg, in the county of Decatur and State of Indiana,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail-Bag Catchers,of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinto the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in mailb'agcatchers or receivers, and more particularly to that class adapted to beused upon mail-cars.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of thischaracter adapted to receive the mail-bag from a crane while the car isin motion and to so clamp the same as to prevent its removal untilbrought to the proper position within the car. Y

With this and other objects in view the inl vention consists in thenovel construction and combination of parts hereinafter more fullydescribed and claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings,showing the preferred form of my invention, and in which- Figure 1 is aperspective view of the device, showingthe same in position upon amail-car. Fig. 2 is a section through ythe catcher, showing the same inposition to receive a mail-bag. Fig. 3 is a detail view of theeccentrics upon the supporting-rod and ofthe locking-yoke of the device.Fig. 4 is a section through the Afork of the catcher, showing the samelocked in closed position. Fig. 5 is a det-ail view of the locking-yoke,and Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the eccentrics upon thesupporting-rod.

Referring to the figures by numerals of reference, 1 is a castingadapted to be secured in any suitable manner to one side of a cardoorand having a bolt 2 revolubly mounted therein. The upper end 3 of thisbolt is enlarged, so as to bear upon the casting, and a rod 4 is securedthereto and extends laterally therefrom. This rod is adapted to extendacross the door, and the free end thereof normally rests between ears 5,extending from a plate 6, secured to the side of the door farthestremoved from the casting 1. A pin 7 is adapted to be inserted intoperforations formed within the ears and serves to prevent the rod 4 fromswinging outward upon its pivot.

The frod 4 is cutaway at a point preferably adjacent to the middlethereof, as shown at 8, forming an eccentric for the purpose here?inafter more fully described, and eccentric collars 9 are arranged atopposite sides of the eccentric 8. These eccentrics are inclosed by andrevoluble within a pipe-cross 10, which is screwed upon threaded collars11, arranged upon the rod4 at opposite sides Aof the eccenl tries 9.Pins, as 12, may be employed for preventing the cross from revolvingupon the threaded collars after once being placed into engagementtherewith.

Extending from one of the remaining arms of the cross 10 is a short tube13, within which is revolubly mounted a hollow stein 14, having anannular groove 15 therearonnd, which is adapted to receive a key whichserves to prevent the removal ofthe stem. This stem is arranged 'at oneside of a curved plate 16, forming the yoke of the catcher proper, andan arm. or tine 17 extends from one end of the plate, while a second armor tine 18 is hinged to the remainingend. A curved plate 19, preferablyL-shaped in cross-section, is secured to this arm 18 andlies within andnormally overlaps one edge of the curved plate or yoke 16. This innerplate 19 is provided at its free end with a recess 20, formed within Ythe inner face of said plate, and a spring-strip 21 is suitably securedtherein and is adapted to engage a shoulder 22, formed within theadjacent face of the yoke 16. The shoulder 22 is arranged adjacent tothe passage through the stem 14, and slidably mounted vwithin this stemis a pin 23 having laterally-extending guide-studs 24, which areslidably mounted Within slots formed within the stern 14 at the innerend thereof. The inner end of the pin 23 is adapted to contact with theintermediate eccentric 8, and it will therefore be nnderstoodthat whenthe cross 10 and the collars 11'are revolved upon the rod 4 this pinwill be forced longitudinally within the stem.

The inner end of the stem 14 is attened upon opposite sides, as at 25,so as to be engaged by the ends of a yoke 26, which ex- IOO tends overthe rod 4 and lies between the eccentric collars 9. Shoulders 27 areformed at the inner end of the yoke 26, and these are adapted to rideupon the eccentrics 9 and release the yoke from engagement with the endof the stem 14. A stem 28 is arranged at the inner end of the yoke 26,and' this is slidably mounted within a tube 29, which extends from theremaining arm of the pipecross 10. A coil-spring 30 incloses the stem 28and bears at opposite ends upon the tube 29 and the shoulders 27,respectively, and this spring serves to hold the shoulders in contactwith the eccentrics 9 at all times.

The tube 29 may be provided at its outer end witha suitable handle 31,of wood or other material,whereby the apparatus may be readilymanipulated.

lNhen it is desired to use the catcherherein described, the same isswung into a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 1, by bearing downupon the handle 31. The tines or arms are opened out, as will behereinafter more fully described, and the device is then in conditionfor use. The tines are held in a plane with the rod at by the yoke 26,which engages the end of the stem 14C, the eccentrics beingso-"constructed as to permit the yoke to engage said stem whenhorizontal. At the same time the pin 23 lies at a pointremovedfromtheshoulder22. Thepositions of the parts as above describedare illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. As soon as the tines arebrought into contact with the mailbag, which has been placed in positionupon a crane of any suitable construction, the head of the bag willswing the curved plate 19 backward, thereby swinging the tines togetherand iirmly grasping the bag. Then as the tines reach the limit of theinward movement the spring-strip 21 will drop into engagement with theshoulder 22 and lock the tines together. At the same time the weight ofthe bag will cause the cross-pipe 10 and the parts connected thereto torevolve upon the rod 4, thereby swinging the yoke 16 downward andinward, and during this movement the eccentrics 9 will force the yoke 26away from the stem l-l and permit the tines to swing into the car, theirstem 14 serving as a pivot. As soon as the inward movement of the tinesoccurs the intermediate eccentric S will contact with the pin 23 andforce the same against the spring-strip 21, pressing said strip out ofthe path of the shoulder 22 and permitting the lower tine 18 to swingopen. The bag can then be removed and the operation above describedrepeated.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of myinvention; but Ido not limit myself thereto, as I am aware thatmodifications may be made therein Without departing from the spirit orsacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right tomake such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus fully described myinvention,

what I therefore claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In a device of the character described, the combination with asupporting-rod; of a tine suspended from and adapted to swing upon, saidrod, a second tine hinged to the irst-mentioned tine, a catch forlocking the tines in closed position, and means operated by thesupporting-rod, for automatically. releasing said catch.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination with asupporting-rod; of a yoke suspended from, and adapt-ed to swing upon,said rod, a tine extending from the yoke, a plate hinged to the yoke andadapted to swing thereinto, a tine extending from the plate, a catchupon the plate adapted to engage the yoke and lock the tines in closedposition, and means operated by the supportingrod, for releasing thecatch from the yoke.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination with asupporting-rod having an eccentric thereon; of asleeve revoluble uponthe rod and inclosing the eccentric, a stem revoluble within the sleeve,a pin slidably mounted within the stem and adapted to be operated by theeccentric, a yoke to the stem, a plate hinged to the yoke and adapted toswing thereinto, tines extending from the plate and yoke, and a catchupon the plate adapted to engage the yoke, said catch being adapted tobe released by the pin.

4. In a device of the character described,- the combination with asupporting-rod, of an eccentric thereon, a sleeve revoluble upon the rodand inclosing the eccentric, a stem revoluble within the sleeve, tinesextending therefrom, a yoke slidably mounted within the sleeve andadapted to engage the stem, shoulders to the yoke, means for holding theshoulders normally in contact with the eccentric, said eccentric beingadapted to automatically release the yoke from the stem of the tines.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination with asupporting-rod having an intermediate eccentric and anoppositely-arranged eccentric at each side thereof; of a sleeverevoluble upon the supporting-rod and inclosing the eccentrics, atubular stem swiveled within the sleeve, a yoke secured thereto andhaving a shoulder formed therewith, a plate hinged to the yoke, aspringstrip secured thereto and adapted to automatically engage theshoulder, tines extending from the yoke and plate, a pin slidablymounted within the stem and adapted to be operated by the intermediateeccentric and to release the spring-strip from the shoulder, and guidesfor said pin.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDSON POTTER.

Witnesses:

F. M. FLEMING, DAVID E. FLEMING.

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